Jogging in the workplace

WHY LAUNCH JOGSCOTLAND IN YOUR WORKPLACE?

It is estimated that 60% of the population do not participate in levels of physical activity that promotes good health. Many of these people are employed in your organisation. Inactivity is a major risk factor for diseases such as coronary heart disease, which may place a serious/major burden on the health of your workforce.

Taking action to prevent ill health and promote good health makes good business sense for all employers. Sickness absence can cost employers dearly.  The Health and Safety Commission estimate 33 million working days were lost in 2002 from work-related ill health. The CBI estimates that absence from work due to sickness is costing UK business an estimated £11bn a year. 

Studies suggest that physical activity programmes at work reduce absenteeism at work by up to 20% and that physically active employees take 27% fewer days of sick leave.

jogscotland can help increase the activity levels of your staff and avoid some of the crucial issues affecting today's sedentary organisations - ill health, stress and low moral - all of which can lead to absenteeism and a loss of productivity.

HOW CAN WE HELP CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALTH OF YOUR BUSINESS?

• Attracting and retaining high calibre staff
• Increased profitability through:
• Increased productivity
• Reduced absenteeism costs
• Reduced stress levels
• Improving the morale and health of your workforce
• Developing and improving social interaction
• Contributing to compliance with health and safety legislation

Because physical activity at work improves the health of your most valuable resource-your employees, it improves the health of your business.

YOU HAVE DECIDED TO LAUNCH A JOGSCOTLAND GROUP IN YOUR WORKPLACE.  WHAT NEXT?  THERE ARE DIFFERENT ROUTES YOU CAN CHOOSE.  

1. Set up formal jogging group with a trained jog leader.
2. Set up informal jogging groups, without a trained jog leader.
3. Link in with existing community groups.
4. jogscotland Corporate Package

ROUTE ONE - SET UP A FORMAL JOGSCOTLAND GROUP
Jog Leaders
The organisation needs to identify and recruit suitable people to be jog leaders.  Send them on the jogscotland jog leaders training course which costs £70, for the day and also provides full insurance.  Support and in-service days are provided for all jog leaders throughout the year by jogscotland. 

Jogging Groups

Routes and times of the jogging groups must be located and decided on then promoted within the company.  This can be done via email, posters, road shows etc. jogscotland provides all the promotional literature which can be adapted to suit each company.

jogscotland Membership

Employees have to join jogscotland to run with the group.  They can choose between bronze, silver and gold!:

jogscotland Administration

It is a very simple process to set up and once its up and running there is little maintenance; ensuring jog leaders are present at the group and sending in new memberships forms when people join.  jogscotland maintain all the admin and issue the product set to members.

ROUTE TWO - SET UP AN INFORMAL JOGSCOTLAND GROUP 

This could work in several ways.  In the organisation you could find someone to be a leader, we have beginner and intermediate programmes that the group can follow.  Alternatively it could just be an informal group with no leader, or a specific group for training for an event. 

The jogscotland Programme Co-ordinator will help you set up these groups and chat through the different programmes and options to encourage people within the organisation to take some physical activity 

It is advisable to have one person or a working group responsible for organising and promoting the jogging groups.  There should be regularity and consistency, i.e. every Tuesday for beginners and Thursday for intermediates. This encourages employees to incorporate this into their weekly diaries.  Having two levels of groups will encourage more beginners as this helps re-assure them they would be able to cope. 

All the joggers should be encouraged to join the national jogscotland scheme.  This is free at the bronze level and they will receive monthly email updates, a logbook containing running information and monthly newsletters.

ROUTE THREE - LINK IN WITH EXISTING COMMUNITY GROUPS

There are over 350 groups throughout Scotland. These groups meet at central venues like sports centres and community centres and usually cost between £10-£15 for a 10-week jogging course.  There are different levels running at different times so please contact the local partner for more information when the groups are starting.  You can promote these to your employees (jogscotland provides posters and fliers) and you could fund or part fund your employees to attend the groups.

ROUTE FOUR - JOGSCOTLAND CORPORATE PACKAGE

jogscotland can organise trained leaders to come into your organisation to lead the weekly groups. 

Please contact Ann on ann.davidson@scottishathletics.org.uk for more information and costs for this. 

JOGSCOTLAND SUPPORT

The jogging groups are run locally from the organisation, however jogscotland provide the necessary support, advice and literature.  We keep in touch regularly, via email and visits and plan to organise a yearly conference to get all the companies and jogscotland members together.  All companies, no matter what kind of group you choose to launch in your company will receive the same support from jogscotland.

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT JOGSCOTLAND IN YOUR ORGANISATION

• Fund the cost of the Jog Leader course.  £70 per person for day course which insures them to lead a walking/jogging group with no onus on the organisation.
• Subsidise the employee?s annual silver or gold membership.
• Offer the opportunity to hold a jogging group within work time / extend the lunch hour.
• Provide the organisers/jog leaders with the necessary support and local guidance.

If you require further information or would like to arrange a meeting to view sample products and discuss launching jogscotland please call Ann Davidson on 0131

539 7341 or email ann.davidson@scottishathletics.org.uk